Motorola could be working on a 5.9" Nexus smartphone

Over the past few months we've seen much controversy about whether there will be another Nexus smartphone. That's because Google has been rumored to drop this program, and focus on Android Silver, which will incorporate a few devices from more manufacturers than one - but is only said to take shape early next year.

Now a new rumor claims that there could in fact be another Nexus phone, and it will launch in November.

Interestingly, Motorola is apparently going to be making it. Its codename is Shamu, which fits with the sea creature theme that Google has used so far to assign codenames to Nexus devices.

The fact that a product with that codename is in active development has been confirmed, more or less, by the filing of a bug which references it in Google's issue tracker. And Android Police also has another source that talked about it, saying that it will be targeted at US carriers, as well as some in other (yet unnamed) parts of the world.

The Shamu has a 5.9-inch touchscreen, which would make it the biggest Nexus phone ever - though phablets have been growing sales at a very fast pace lately, so making one part of the Nexus program would make sense. Perhaps the Nexus 5 will still be sold alongside this new device (which may be called Nexus 6 when it launches). If that happens, we can see a price drop happening for the currently sold phone, so that it becomes even more competitive in that regard.

The Shamu will also reportedly feature a fingerprint scanner. Where that will be placed is still a mystery, however.

And unfortunately, aside from its screen size and the presence of that sensor, nothing is known about the Shamu just yet. But if it will in fact become the next Nexus smartphone, then we should start hearing a lot more about it soon.

All of the above should not be taken for granted, though, for even if at the moment Motorola does have a handset codenamed Shamu in the works, it may not get launched at all, or it may not be a Nexus. Hardware development plans change all the time.

If all of this does pan out, then the Nexus 6 may be unveiled by Google alongside the rumored HTC Nexus tablet, to both go on sale when Android L is finally released.